The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative reported that nearly all of its approximately 35,000 members lost power after Hurricane Lowell sideswiped Hawaii’s western islands
Damaging winds and heavy rains from Hurricane Lowell battered Hawaii’s western islands on Tuesday, causing power outages for thousands and tearing up sections of beachside roads.
Along the Southern California coast, dangerous surf conditions stirred by the remnants of Hurricane Marie were expected to persist for several days.
In Hawaii, fierce winds brought down trees and triggered widespread power outages on the island of Kauai, which is home to 73,000 residents. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative reported that nearly all of its approximately 35,000 members were without power early Tuesday.
Emergency officials urged residents to conserve water and stay off the roads as authorities assessed the damage.
Waves crashing onto Kauai’s southern coast demolished a coastal road and pushed piles of sand and lava rocks into a beachside park, said Rochelle Ballard, a former professional surfer who runs a surf school across from the park.
Cleanup will take weeks, she said. Her family’s surf shop and nearby restaurant were unharmed, but she noted that a friend’s house was destroyed.
Hurricane Lowell didn’t make a direct hit on Hawaii
The center of the storm passed west of the islands in the overnight hours of Tuesday and moved farther away throughout the day.
The storm’s tropical storm-force winds extended well beyond the center, the National Hurricane Center said. On Kauai, sustained winds measured just above 50 mph (80 kph) at Lihue Airport, the island’s only commercial airport that was closed after the storm.
“It’s going to take awhile. I think we’ll be fine,” Ballard said. “We’ve been through this before.”
Hurricane warnings for Kauai and the tiny island of Niihau, which has fewer than 100 permanent residents, were no longer in effect by Tuesday morning local time. A tropical storm warning was also lifted for Oahu, the state’s most populated island with close to 1 million residents.
However, flooding and mudslides will continue to be a risk throughout the day, said Eric Blake, of the National Hurricane Center.
Some wind gusts reached 80 mph (130 kph), according to the hurricane center. But the strength of the sustained winds had decreased by early Tuesday and the storm was expected to weaken in the coming days.
Storm left a mess on Kauai and Oahu
Kauai real estate agent Lori Benkert, who lives in Lihue, said she endured a loud, windy night after her power went out Monday evening. The storm brought down trees next to her house, and the community’s main road was closed due to fallen trees, she said.
“We’re fine. My house did great with no boarded-up windows,” Benkert said. “But there are a lot of downed power lines.”
On Oahu, road crews were clearing sand and rocks from a major route along the island’s western edge after floodwaters topped a coastal highway north of Honolulu.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green closed schools and government offices on the three islands on Tuesday ahead of the storm.
Rainfall totals could reach up to 24 inches (60 centimeters) in some areas on Kauai. Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island could also see significant amounts of rain.
Last month, Tropical Storm Lala brushed past Hawaii and caused landslides, washing away about 100 homes and causing widespread power outages.
The remnants of Hurricane Marie were downgraded again and are no longer considered a tropical storm.
However, it was still causing dangerous surf conditions along the coast of Mexico’s Baja California and Southern California. Swells with life-threatening surf and rip current conditions will continue for the next few days, the hurricane center said.
In Malibu, where large waves were hitting the shore, the driveway of a beachfront home that is supported by pylons collapsed into a sinkhole on Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.
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